A South Surrey woman was killed during the windstorm Saturday (Dec. 14) that left thousands without power.
Around mid-morning Saturday, at a residence near 29 Avenue and 175 Street, a 65-year-old woman in her yard was tragically killed by a falling tree or part of a tree, Surrey Police Service media relations Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton shared in an email.
BC Emergency Health Services and Surrey Fire Service Service attended, but lifesaving measures were unfortunately, unsuccessful.
Police were called to help facilitate Victim Services to support the family, Houghton noted
Surrey Fire Service assistant chief Greg McRobbie said his crews responded to a call for a "traumatic injury" in a residence in South Surrey after 10 a.m. on Saturday. On arrival, they found the woman unresponsive, next to a very large branch that witnesses said fell from roughly 30 feet above, said McRobbie.
"It was an extremely difficult call, not only for the people there but also for the firefighters who attended," said McRobbie. "Our thoughts are with the family and friends. It's an extremely difficult time and such a tragic incident."
Crews from Surrey Fire Services also responded to a separate call Saturday morning in the city about another person trapped by a fallen tree.
McRobbie said firefighters were able to rescue the person out from under the tree.
Environment Canada says the windstorm created wind gusts as high as 96 kilometres per hour at the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal in Delta, B.C., and 115 kilometres per hour on Saturna Island, located midway between the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
The windstorm knocked out power for more than 320,000 customers, said BC Hydro, with all but about 5,000 having power restored by Sunday morning.
鈥� with a file from CP
